Words and Meaning
The meaning of various words change a bit over time. The easiest example is the word gay, which used to mean merry and bright, and now refers to one’s sexual orientation.
Other words these days are being used a bit differently. Take “infrastructure”, for example. We used to think that meant roads and bridges, and perhaps buildings. Given that we used to call it the “information superhighway”, it’s not surprising that broadband is now included in infrastructure, and most would agree it should be. But leave it to the D.C. Swamp to believe that on-going wages to employees can be construed as infrastructure…”human infrastructure” is how Sen. Bernie Sanders cleverly termed it.
So you can be for infrastructure by that name, but those in Washington will interpret that to mean you support increased wages for certain types of workers.
The president last week said guns have created a public health crisis, so he proposed ways to limit access to certain guns. They’re not the ones used in recent shootings, but no matter…it’s now a public health crisis, and thanks to the foundation and precedent set during the COVID pandemic, government feels they can step in and take over all aspects of your life. Again, look at the government control exerted during the past year of coronavirus alone…and as predicted, they’re now using similar words to justify more restrictions, even further from the original meaning of those words.
Not sure most of us would have considered guns as a public health issue; people with guns, perhaps…but still not a “public health crisis”. No matter, we’ve now allowed the government to overreach in the name of public health, so they’ve taken that as meaning you’re OK with gun control.
Here’s another set of words–the end justifies the means. That phrase was actually coined by a Russian revolutionary in the 1800s. Looks like that’s a foundation of the current definition revisionists.
